Suzuki
RG500 Gallery
During the first
half of the Seventies Suzuki's efforts in the
500cc class had been focused on machines utilising
a twin cylinder two stroke engine developed
from the road going T500 powerplant. In its
final, watercooled form, the powerplant was
reputed to develop in the region of 80bhp, however,
although there were marketing benefits in campaigning
a machine displaying a direct relationship to
a road going model, it was becoming apparent
that a specialist Grand Prix design would be
required if Suzuki were to achieve success in
the "blue ribbon" class at international
level.
During 1974 the
four cylinder works XR14 made its debut. The
new new machine featured a square four, liquid
cooled two stroke engine with disc valve induction.
An interesting feature of the design was the
use of an independent crankshaft for each cylinder,
which were themselves independent units. Breathing
through four 34mm Mikuni carburettors and equipped
with a six speed gearbox the compact unit was
housed in a steel frame. The first two seasons
showed considerable promise and in 1976, using
an engine that had moved from the original 56mm
x 50.5mm bore and stroke to square 54mm x 54mm
dimensions, Barry Sheene took five wins in the
ten round World Championship winning it by a
considerable margin.
1976 was also
notable for the introduction of "over the
counter" RG500 which would have a similar
impact at all levels of 500cc class racing to
that which the TZ series twins from Yamaha had
in the 250cc and 350cc classes, rejuvenating
the class at club and national level and offering
privateers a competitive mount at international
level.
Derived from
the early works machines the "production"
example retained the 56mm x 50.5mm engine dimensions.
Interestingly, it employed the Suzuki "posi
- lube" oil injection system with the oil
being carried in the frame, although in practise
virtually all riders discarded the oil pump
and reverted to pre-mix.
| Bike |
Image |
Description |
Suzuki RG500 Mk1
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This attractive example has recently been
restored. The machine was stripped and the
frame was powder coated with the body work
being finished in Life helmet colours. It
is fitted with alloy wheels and the exhaust
system is equipped with "silencers".
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Suzuki RG500 Mk2
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The Mk II, introduced for the 1977 season,
incorporated detail changes, the most obvious
being the more upright shock absorber mounting
employed on the new model. Suzuki also followed
the lead of the racers who had ridden the
MK I variant and who had routinely dispensed
with that models oil injection system, in
deleting the system. The consequent switch
to pre-mix lubrication on the Mk II which
resulted in blanked off disc valve covers
gracing the Mk II's crankcases and the exhaust
system adopted integral silencers. The rest
of the machine was little changed from the
previous season, it retained the wire spoked
wheels, quadruple 34mm Mikuni carburettors
and four crankshafts of the Mk1 which delivered
a power output reputedly of 103 bhp. |
Sparton-Suzuki 500
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Sparton frames were manufactured by
Barry Hart together with other racing
related accessories. Early versions were
built to house Yamaha 125cc twins and
he was also responsible for triples 350
and 500cc triples built using TZ top ends.
However, Sparton are probably best known
for their RG500 powered machines, one
of which would find fame as the "Silver
Dream Racer" built for the film featuring
David Essex in 1979. Of more significance
competitively was the one two finish achieved
by a pair of Sparton machines at the North
West 200 in 1976.
The RG500 over the counter racer was
introduced for the 1976 season,essentially
replicating the works four cylinder machines
first campaigned by Suzuki in the 1974
season. The new machine was responsible
for rejuvenating the 500cc class at all
levels, which until its introduction had
struggled for entries due to the disparity
between the works machines and those available
to privateers. Equipped with a disc valve,
two stroke engine which featured independent
cranks, barrels and heads and a six speed
gearbox it offered privateers a power
output of approximately 103bhp in it's
original over square configuration, enabling
them to maintain a pace that at times
matched the factory bikes. It was felt
by some, though, that the standard steel
frame could be improved upon, providing
an opportunity for specialist manufacturers
such as Sparton with their ability to
produce fine handling frames.
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1976 Suzuki RG500 Mk1
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The 1976 Suzuki RG500 Mk 1 was derived
from the XR14 works machine that took
Barry Sheene to two consecutive World
Championships in 1976 and 1977. The new
machine featured a "square"
four, two stroke engine with 56 x 50.5mm
dimensions equipped with disc valves fed
by four 34mm magnesium Mikuni carburettors.
The power unit was equipped with a six
speed gearbox and "stinger"
expansion chambers and housed in a tubular
steel frame which was designed to carry
the engine oil, although the vast majority
of machines ran with a petrol/oil mixture
following the removal of the oil pump.
Laid down rear shock absorbers controlled
the rear end, the front being fitted with
35mm forks. Suzuki brake callipers dealt
with the braking and alloy rims were fitted
front and rear.
Image provided by www.classic-auctions.com.
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| Suzuki RG500 |
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Engine - 498cc, square-four, two-stroke
Top Speed - 133mph
Power - 95bhp
Launched - 1985-1989
Back in 1985 the RG500 was the closest
thing to a GP500 bike. Ground-breaking
at the time. |
| 1985 Suzuki RG500 Gamma |
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| 1986 Suzuki RG500G |
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The widowmaker. A powerband like an on-off
switch and square tyres as standard. Didn't
do Kevin Schwantz any harm in race trim.
In 1985, the RG500 was a super-light, evilly-powered
two-stroke which would kill you as soon
as look at you at least that is what it
was to the uninitiated.
The Gamma, as it's known, has a square-four,
499cc motor, and a power-to-weight ratio
that would shock some 600s today (93bhp,
154kg). It was borne from Suzuki's success
on the track and certainly belonged there
the technology it employed (including rotary
valves) is still being used. It bit the
dust a mere handful of years after inception
as emissions laws became stricter and demand
slumped. Shame. |
| 1987 Suzuki RG500 |
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As the 1980s departed, so did Suzuki's
RG500 GP replica. Suzuki had been producing
square four two-strokes for 20 years before
they launched the road-going GP replica
RG500 in 1985. For a bike available to
Joe Public, the term race replica had
arguably never been closer to the truth.
Sheene, Lucchinelli, Uncini and the rest
had won GPs on something very similar.
The RG was eagerly awaited and was a
must-have in 1985-86. Rumoured to be as
fast as the pukka racer of only a few
seasons before, the 95bhp reality was
a slight disappointment. Excitement soon
faded as punters realised that the new
bread of four-stroke fours were generally
better. Ironically, Suzuki's own GSX-R750,
announced earlier in 1985, was the bike
that made the RG redundant. |
| 1987 Suzuki RG500 |
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| 1987 Suzuki RG500 Gamma Walter Wolf |
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| 1988 Suzuki RG500 Gamma |
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| 1989 Suzuki RG500 |
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